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IndustryArena Forum > MetalWorking Machines > Tormach Personal CNC Mill > Another Leadshine drive down the toilet
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  1. #1
    Join Date
    Jan 2007
    Posts
    311

    Another Leadshine drive down the toilet

    So I had another leadshine drive fail today, basically the exact same way as it did last year, same drive (X-Axis) https://www.cnczone.com/forums/torma...4-tormach.html

    Was cleaning the machine after a small job this morning, went to move the x-axis and noticed pathpilot saying the limit was triggered, just figured I must have tripped it somehow (even though I'm not near the switch) reset it and pushed the button, no movement but the DRO is spinning away.
    Rebooted everything, removed the cover and moved the axis to allow the door to open, X-drive is red lighted. swapped the cables with the Y, everything moves fine.

    Just over a year and hardly used the machine at all during that time. What the )(@#$%% is going on with this? Can't afford to replace a drive annually....


  2. #2
    Join Date
    Jun 2014
    Posts
    1777

    Re: Another Leadshine drive down the toilet

    The connector on the driver failed on mine about a year ago, I caught it as it happened and it didnt destroy the drive, I replaced the connector and it worked, This a weak spont on those drives.

    Stepper driver connector thread with pics

    mike sr

  3. #3
    Join Date
    May 2008
    Posts
    666

    Re: Another Leadshine drive down the toilet

    Quote Originally Posted by Mooser View Post
    So I had another leadshine drive fail today, basically the exact same way as it did last year, same drive (X-Axis) https://www.cnczone.com/forums/torma...4-tormach.html

    Was cleaning the machine after a small job this morning, went to move the x-axis and noticed pathpilot saying the limit was triggered, just figured I must have tripped it somehow (even though I'm not near the switch) reset it and pushed the button, no movement but the DRO is spinning away.
    Rebooted everything, removed the cover and moved the axis to allow the door to open, X-drive is red lighted. swapped the cables with the Y, everything moves fine.

    Just over a year and hardly used the machine at all during that time. What the )(@#$%% is going on with this? Can't afford to replace a drive annually....

    Did this to me a couple months ago. One of FET transistor failed so had some on hand and put the new one in place, work fine since that.

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Jan 2007
    Posts
    311

    Re: Another Leadshine drive down the toilet

    Do you happen to know the number of the mosfet? I'm not where it's at but it's worth trying to replace them, I believe I'll change the voltage reg (I tried that with no success last time, LM317 I think)

    Also, anyway of testing the mosfet to narrow it down to which one(s) might be the issue
    Thanks
    M

  5. #5
    Join Date
    May 2008
    Posts
    666

    Re: Another Leadshine drive down the toilet

    Quote Originally Posted by Mooser View Post
    Do you happen to know the number of the mosfet? I'm not where it's at but it's worth trying to replace them, I believe I'll change the voltage reg (I tried that with no success last time, LM317 I think)

    Also, anyway of testing the mosfet to narrow it down to which one(s) might be the issue
    Thanks
    M
    LM317 is a variable voltage regulator, I do not remember the part number in my driver.

    For the mofset, It' a type N Mofset IRF540N Power MOSFET 33A 100V TO-220

    https://www.digchip.com/datasheets/p...RF540N-pdf.php

    Polarity is important when testing these transistor, red and black probe, see the image.

    Jeff
    Attached Thumbnails Attached Thumbnails How to check mosfet #1.jpg   trnchk03.gif  

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Jan 2007
    Posts
    311

    Re: Another Leadshine drive down the toilet

    Looks like the iRF540N is obsolete, lead-free version (IRF540NPbF) is available
    I'll have to have a look tonight and see if I can find anything.
    I wonder I tossed the old drive or it's still on the shelf... bet I tossed it
    M

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Jan 2009
    Posts
    234

    Re: Another Leadshine drive down the toilet

    Here is my Tear-down and Repair Of A Tormach Drive and Compare it to $50.00 china import.

    Yes, You can Use Any IRF540 On the market. I have a rail of them left think.
    Machines: Grizzly G0704 Mill W/ 3-Axis DRO | Birmingham 12X36 Lathe W/ CNC Retrofit PMDX-126/107 W/ESS 3ph W/ WJ200 VFD

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Jan 2007
    Posts
    311

    Re: Another Leadshine drive down the toilet

    Ahh, that's you. I came across that site when I was looking.
    I've ordered a drive from across the ocean and in the meantime I'm repairing my desoldering iron (not heating fully for some reason) and I'll start popping the fets out one at a time and try testing them. I did replace the LM317 but that obviously wasn't the problem on this one
    Worse comes to worse I get it fixed and have a spare.

    I'm still worried as to why it has popped 2 of them now. I believe I read in the info for the drive it could be a shorted motor, this time I was cleaning chips over in the left tray area so I moved that motor cable a bunch of times. Last time it was just homing axis and there's been over a year in between so it's not likely a cable issue... maybe
    This drive is tucked way into the corner of the cabinet, I wonder if it's over heating or something stupid. Seems strange both times have been under virtually zero load...

    I ordered a set of improved plugs that were mentioned in another thread, and I'll have to convert the new drive to mate with the 2x5 ribbon header on the machine so maybe now is as good a time as any to change all of them over, the Y-axis one is blackened
    Thanks again
    M

  9. #9
    Join Date
    May 2008
    Posts
    666

    Re: Another Leadshine drive down the toilet

    Mine blew because of bad wires.

    You can test them while they are on the circuit board.

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Jan 2007
    Posts
    311

    Re: Another Leadshine drive down the toilet

    Quote Originally Posted by jeffrey001 View Post
    Mine blew because of bad wires.

    You can test them while they are on the circuit board.
    Which wires were bad?
    M

  11. #11
    Join Date
    Jan 2007
    Posts
    311

    Re: Another Leadshine drive down the toilet

    Found the old drive, not sure why it didn't end up in the bin. I've tested the FETs and found one that are conducting between the drain and source at least while still on the board, the other 5 seem ok, and then a different one on the current board. I'm going to steal one "good" one from the old board and try it in the current board just to see.
    I ordered a few new new chips but it'll be a week or so before I see them, and the aliexpress drive will be, well who knows how long it'll be..
    M

  12. #12
    Join Date
    Jan 2007
    Posts
    311

    Re: Another Leadshine drive down the toilet

    GREEN LIGHT !!!!! and axis movement as well

    Replaced the faulty FET with one that tested good from the old drive and it's back in business.
    While I had it out I changed the connector to a screw type on the X and Y as well. I'll have to get another connector for the Z as I only had two on the shelf.
    The X looks fine but the Y had the second pin just totally blackened.

    Now I'll have two spare drives on the shelf if I can get the old one working again.

    Thank you gentlemen, this REALLY helped me out
    M

  13. #13
    Join Date
    Mar 2007
    Posts
    2083

    Re: Another Leadshine drive down the toilet

    Phoenix Contact connectors burning up are found on a number of threads

    some examples of burnt connectors in this thread
    https://www.model-engineer.co.uk/for....asp?th=127744

    a while ago I answered a post when some one wanted to replace a generic leadshine stepper driver with a "Tormach " branded stepper driver

    the two of us managed to trace the step & direction connections on the "tormach " drive to produce this -
    https://www.cnczone.com/forums/torma...ml#post2107952



    the details may help others replace generic Leadshine drivers with "tormach" branded stepper drivers or vice verse

    Attachment 398378


    John

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